This apple cider chicken is the perfect way to bring the flavors of fall to the dinner table. Made with tender chicken breasts, fresh apples, and a creamy apple cider sauce infused with warm herbs, this sweet and savory dish is a cozy, flavorful addition to your fall menu.
Key Takeaways: Apple Cider Chicken
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Bake Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Servings: 4
- Cook Method: Cooked in a large skillet on the stovetop.
- Flavor & Texture: This dish features juicy, savory chicken with a creamy herb sauce and sweet apples.
- Difficulty: Easy. This recipe is simple to make. It requires a little prep, then everything cooks up in one pan.
- Why this Recipe? Apple cider chicken is full of delicious seasonal flavors, made with whole food ingredients, and is simple to make!
This recipe comes together quickly for a simple weeknight meal, but feels special enough for a Sunday dinner or a fall get-together. Serve it with garlic mashed potatoes, roasted beet salad with goat cheese, and a slice of homemade sourdough bread to soak up every last bit of the creamy sauce.
You could also pair this meal with roasted pumpkin soup for a cozy autumn spread. And if you’re looking for more ways to use fresh apples in the kitchen, a homemade apple cake with caramel glaze makes for a sweet finish to this comforting meal.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Seasonal flavors – Everything you love about fall is in this dish, from crisp, sweet apples and apple cider to the infamous pumpkin spice and even aromatic sage leaves.
Whole food ingredients – If whole food from scratch is important to you and your family, then this is another great recipe to add to your collection of healthy whole food family meal ideas.
Simple to make – This recipe is simple and straightforward to make, with no special skills required!
Ingredients
Apples – Honeycrisp, Gala, and Pink Lady apples all work well in this recipe. Choose firm apples that hold their shape when cooked. Honeycrisp is our top choice for its sweet-tart flavor and crisp texture, while Gala is a little sweeter and Pink Lady adds a touch more tartness. Check out 10+ easy fall apple recipes for more ways to use these fall delicacies!
White wine – Use dry white wine. A dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio works best and keeps the sauce from becoming overly sweet.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Apple Cider Chicken
Step 1: Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and sliced apples and cook for another 4–5 minutes, until the apples begin to soften. Transfer the apples, onion, and garlic to a plate and set aside.
Step 2: Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Add the chicken breasts and sear for 3–4 minutes per side, then continue cooking until the chicken is fully cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Step 3: Pour the white wine into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Simmer for 1–2 minutes to cook off the alcohol.
Add the apple cider, chicken broth, pumpkin pie spice, sage, Dijon mustard, and heavy cream.
Step 4: Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly.
Step 5: Return the cooked chicken, apples, onion, and garlic to the skillet. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes, just until everything is heated through and coated in the sauce. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Step 6: Spoon the sauce over the chicken and garnish with fresh or fried sage before serving.
Lisa’s Expert Tips
- Let the chicken brown undisturbed. Resist the urge to move it around while searing. A good crust adds lots of flavor to the finished dish.
- Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer. Avoid boiling once the cream is added, as a gentle simmer will reduce the sauce without making it too thick or risking separation.
- Check the chicken with a thermometer. Since chicken breasts vary in size, the most reliable way to know they’re done is to check that the thickest part reaches 165°F.
- Keep the apple slices fairly thick. About ¼-inch slices will soften without completely breaking down into the sauce.
- Don’t peel the apples. The skins add color and help the apple slices hold their shape, plus they look beautiful in the finished dish.
- Give the sauce time to reduce. It may look quite thin when you first add the cream, but it will thicken as it gently simmers.
- Adjust the sauce to taste. Apple cider varies in sweetness, so taste the sauce before adding the chicken back. A little extra Dijon or salt can help balance a particularly sweet cider.
- To speed up the cooking process, use two large skillets at the same time. In one skillet, cook the onion, garlic, and apples while you sear and fully cook the chicken in the second skillet. Once the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, set it aside and continue making the sauce in the skillet used for the chicken. This allows both components to cook simultaneously and can save several minutes of prep and cooking time.
Apple Cider Chicken FAQs
Apple cider chicken is the perfect balance of sweet and savory. It features delicious fall spices and juicy savory chicken with soft, sweet apples.
This dish tastes great paired with crispy potatoes, sourdough brioche rolls, and a fresh salad with homemade dressing.
Place the leftover chicken, sauce, and apples in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
More Apple Recipes from the Farmhouse
- Apple and Cinnamon Muffin Recipe
- Baked Apple Cider Donuts
- Easy Instant Pot Apple Sauce
- The Best Cinnamon Maple Sourdough Apple Cobbler
- Healthy Apple Butter Recipe – No Added Sugar
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
One Skillet Apple Cider Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 apples , skin on, sliced
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- â…“ cup white wine
- ¾ cup sweet apple cider
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage , OR 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 tablespoon grainy Dijon mustard
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream , 36%
Instructions
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and sliced apples and cook for another 4–5 minutes, until the apples begin to soften. Transfer the apples, onion, and garlic to a plate and set aside.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Add the chicken breasts and sear for 3–4 minutes per side, then continue cooking until the chicken is fully cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Pour the white wine into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Simmer for 1–2 minutes to cook off the alcohol. Add the apple cider, chicken broth, pumpkin pie spice, sage, Dijon mustard, and heavy cream. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Return the cooked chicken, apples, onion, and garlic to the skillet. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes, just until everything is heated through and coated in the sauce. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Spoon the sauce over the chicken and garnish with fresh or fried sage before serving.
Instructions for optional garnish
- To fry the sage leaves, heat about 1/4 inch of olive oil (or any neutral oil) in a small skillet over medium heat until it shimmers.
- Carefully add a few sage leaves at a time to the hot oil (they should sizzle upon contact). Fry for 5–10 seconds until crisp but still green.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried sage leaves to a paper towel to drain. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt while they’re still warm, if desired.
Notes
- Let the chicken brown undisturbed. Resist the urge to move it around while searing. A good crust adds lots of flavor to the finished dish.Â
- Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer. Avoid boiling once the cream is added, as a gentle simmer will reduce the sauce without making it too thick or risking separation.Â
- Check the chicken with a thermometer. Since chicken breasts vary in size, the most reliable way to know they’re done is to check that the thickest part reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Keep the apple slices fairly thick. About ¼-inch slices will soften without completely breaking down into the sauce.
- Don’t peel the apples. The skins add color and help the apple slices hold their shape, plus they look beautiful in the finished dish.
- Give the sauce time to reduce. It may look quite thin when you first add the cream, but it will thicken as it gently simmers.
- To speed up the cooking process, use two large skillets at the same time. In one skillet, cook the onion, garlic, and apples while you sear and fully cook the chicken in the second skillet. Once the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, set it aside and continue making the sauce in the skillet used for the chicken. This allows both components to cook simultaneously and can save several minutes of prep and cooking time.Â
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
